Donan Pher, the "Emperor of the Biro" dies

31/08/2010. Fernando Velázquez, The creator of the phrase "The biro, man's best friend", leaves an unforgettable memory of himself and Sanfermin after more than forty years of marketing his biros in Pamplona as a street vendor

Last 10th of August the mythical street seller passed away in La Barganiza, in Asturias, at the age of 86. Fernando Velázquez López, was popularly known as Donan Pher. In Pamplona he was also known as the "Emperor of the Biro" and he was inevitably linked to the Sanfermin Fiestas and its history after more than forty years of uninterrupted visits as a street vendor of biros and pens.

Although he had already stopped coming for the past several years, he will always be remembered by the different generations for his cheap collection of biros which he used to sell at 20 "duros" (100 pesetas, 0,60euro). He would dress up to look like an explorer from the XIX century and, with a mike placed around his neck , he would shout out his wares better than any stockbroker in any stock exchange. His mythical slogan was , "A Biro, man's best friend!" and it will remain in the memory of many people from Pamplona. Over the years he became one of the characters whose arrival would let us know that Sanfermin fiestas were once again about to take off. Now we can say about the recently deceased: "Donan Pher, the best friend of the biro".

In 1996 Kukuxumusu created a tee shirt for Sanfermin with many characters from the fiestas shown on it and among them was Donan Pher. Our deepest sympathy goes out to his two daughters, his two grandchildren, his brother and the rest of his family.